It Goes as it Goes
by RabidErikPhan
Summary: [H]. An EC Story. It is what happened after the bookplay ended. Based on Leroux, Kay, and ALW.
1. Chapter 1

I stood in the boat, struggling against his tight grip over my shoulder. It was so tight that tears were welling up in my eyes. He kept telling me that I would never go back, That I would never see that 'thing' again. I tearfully told him that the 'thing' had a name, but he just laughed and said,

"That monster has no name. It is not human, just another thing that you don't need in your life," He jumped out of the boat and dragged me to his carriage, black and large, drawn by four white horses. He threw me into the carriage and came in and sat down next to me, pulling me closer with his grip. Than he inhaled deeply and said to me,

"Now dear," he said, emphasizing dear, "I must explain the rules of the house. Rule number 1: NO singing. Should on note escape your lips you will regret it," he tightened his grip. I gathered my courage and said as bravely as I could,

"I should have stayed with Er-" but I did not finish that sentence, for I was cut off by the sting of his palm striking my right cheek. The impact sent me flying into the window, my arm and head shattering is with a sickening crack. I could feel warm blood oozing out of my left temple and shoulder, and I started to cry. Tears of hate, fear, hurt, and remorse. I should have thought before I chose him, should of thought that he would do this to me. Then Raoul continued, not caring that I was bleeding.

" Now, rule number two: Never, EVER mention that name in my presence again. You do, you will be sorry," He said forcefully. After 5 minutes of silence except for my pained sniffles, he said,

"Welcome, Vicomtesse, to the De Chagny manor. He took me tightly by the hand and dragged me inside. There was a line of people standing there and smiling. Raoul said brilliantly,

"Christine, meet the staff. These two, Naiomi and Jaclyn are your personal maids," Naiomi seemed to be older than Jaclyn. Naiomi had strawberry blonde waves of hair cascading down her back, and she was at least a head taller than Jaclyn. Jaclyn had chestnut brown ringlets falling to her shoulders, most of them pinned back, but a few were encircling her face. She could not have been over 15 years old.

"Next are George and Gayle, the Chefs. They shall cook anything you want within reason," He continued. George looked about thirty with striking red hair, and Gayle looked about 17 with light blonde waves around her face.

"This is Claire, The seamstress," Claire looked about 25 with black hair pinned up into a tight bun.

"Here is William, my servant, Sean the stableboy, and Anton the driver," He said, nodding at each in procession. "Dismissed. Naiomi, Jaclyn, can you take the vicomtesse to her room?" he asked. Naiomi and Jaclyn nodded and each one took me by one hand gently and helped me to my room. The blood from my cuts was no longer flowing, but the deep wounds were still visible. Jaclyn and Naiomi helped me into a nightdress and wrapped the cuts. Then the sat down on the floor with me, forming a circle. Then Jaclyn spoke up.

"If we are going to serve you, miss," she said shyly, "We must know a little about you. Like how you want to be addressed, things like that," So I took a deep breath and said,

"My Name is Christine. I am 18 years old. You don't have to address me as anything, Just Christine. Also, I have to know more about you two. All I know is your names," So Naiomi said tenderly,

"I am Naiomi, as you know, I am 20 years old and I have worked for the de Chagny's all my life, as my mother before me,"

"My name is Jaclyn, I am 14 years old and I was just hired to work for the Chagny's. I can Read, unlike Naiomi, because I was sent to school, until now," she said sadly.

"Well, Naiomi, Jaclyn, we are going to be good friends," I said. Then the grand clock struck 9:30.

"Time for bed, Christine," said Jaclyn. They helped me into bed and exited quietly. But as I fell asleep, I couldn't help thinking, 'did I make the right choice?'


	2. Chapter 2

I woke to the feeling of Jaclyn shaking me gently awake. I opened my eyelids slowly to see her face bent over mine, her ringlets falling into my face. She said softly,  
"Christine, Time to wake up!"  
Then I sat up and said,  
"What time is it, Jaclyn?"  
"7:00," she told me brisquely as she hurried into my closet and came out with a sky blue everyday dress. It was embroidered on all the hems in a darker blue in patterns so beautiful that I could not describe them. She slipped a light corset over my head and laced it up after she helped me out of my nightdress. I slipped the rich venitian silk dress over my head and knew It must have cost a fortune. Naiomi then came in and did my hair up so that It flowed down my back like a waterfall, but so the front was pinned back by blue jeweled clips. Then after this was all done, Jaclyn said,  
"You have a half an hour before breakfast. You can do anything you want till then. Call us if you need anything," and after that, they left without another word. I knew what I wanted to do. I sat at the desk and started writing.  
'Dear Erik,  
I made the wrong choice. I want to be with you. On the way to his house, in his carriage, he hit me, and now my head and shoulder have sustained injuries. He has also forbidden me to sing or mention you or else he will beat me. I am afraid. Please, You are my angel, and I want to be back with you. Please, can you help me out of this predicament?  
Yours Forever,  
Christine'

I read over the letter and then folded it and put it into an envelope, and sealed it. Then I wrote on the front, 'Erik'. Then I called Jaclyn up to me and asked her,  
"Can you please take this to the opera house and give it to madame Giry, the ballet mistress? She will know what to do with it," Jaclyn nodded and rushed out, the envelope in her pocket. I still had 10 minutes before breakfast, so I sat, deep in thought. 'what if Erik rejects my plea? What if he just says, "You had your chance, and you picked wrong. Now you must live with it"? No. Erik still loves me. I'm sure.' Then the clock struck 9:00. Time to go downstairs for breakfast. I wondered if Jaclyn got out ok. I hoped so.


	3. Chapter 3

met Raoul in the dining room. He pulled out a chair and pushed me into it, and than seated himself.  
"Jaclyn left this morning to fetch some things for you from the opera house, Why?" he asked demandingly. "Are you contacting that thing?" Then I courageously told him,  
"No! why would I? There were some things that were left in my dressing room that I wanted, Thats all," after that, we started breakfast in silence. I kept wondering, 'where is Jaclyn now? I hope she is ok' 

Jaclyn's POV  
I walked through the muddy streets, approaching the opera house. It did not burn to the ground, It just got burned quite badly. They still put on operas there. I went inside and located Madame Giry, teaching young ballerinas a simple dance sequence.  
"Thats good girls! now piroette, good!" she dictated to them. I walked up slowly and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and looked at me and asked sternly,  
"Who are you and what is your business here?"  
I replied, "I am Jaclyn, and I have a letter for someone from Ms. Christine Daae,"   
"Let me see it then," she said.  
I gave her the envelope and she sighed,  
"You'd better deliver this in person. Meg!" she yelled, and a blonde dancer, older than the little bellet rats, came out. "Can you dictate this class? I have some, er, business to attend to," Meg seemed to understand, for she nodded and picked up the class where Madame Giry left off.  
"Come. follow me," Madame Giry told me, and we were off. She led me into a dressing room, and touched some places on the mirror, which opened to reveal a passage. She walked calmly through it as if it was an everyday occurance. I followed, and after about 10 minutes, we came to a lake, with a gondola sitting in the water. The Madame gestured for me to help her row, and we were off. We rowed in silance, for it was much work for us, since we were not very physically fit. At last we came to the shore, and I saw what seemed to be a lair. There was an organ, and a magnificent swan bed draped in red silk linens. Sitting at the organ was a figure draped in black and playing one of the saddest tunes I had ever heard, and singing along in italian.  
e nei suoi occhi  
tutta la tristezza  
del mondo.  
quegli occhi sbiaditi  
che sia ha minacciato  
che adoro.

I translated his words into english for I had taken italian in school

And in his eyes  
all the sadness  
of the world.  
those faded eyes  
that both threatened  
and adored.

I knew these words must have been spoken by someone else. Then the Madame Cleared her throat and the man turned around abruptly. I saw a white mask covering half of his face, and a frown on his lips.  
"Who is that, Antoinette?" he asked sternly. "I thought I told you not to bering anyone down here who I don't know," Madame Giry opened her mouth to tell him something, but I knew that I could speak for myself.  
"I am Jaclyn, the personal maid of Christine Daae. I walked all the way over here with a letter from her to you. She needs your help," I told him courageously. It took me alot of negotiating to get this out of the house, with the Viscomte monitoring the mail, but I got it out," and I held out the letter to him.


	4. Chapter 4

Erik Gingerly took the letter out of my hands and read it. I studied his features as his eyes scanned the page. His eyes grew a upset glow as he read on, and then he finished the letter and looked up at me. He said,  
"We have to get her out of there," and he handed the letter to Madame Giry, who's hands flew up to her mouth. Then Madame Giry handed me the letter and I read it, and I gasped.  
"So that is where those cuts came from, the ones on her head and arm," I said.  
"What cuts?" Erik said sharply. So I explained,  
"When she arrived at the manor last night, She had 6 deep cuts on the left side of her body. Four on her shoulder, and two on her left temple," she said, and Erik took a deep, angry breath. Then he sat down and wrote a note in italian. he handed it to me and said,  
"Can you give this to Ms. Daae? Please read it to her, as I noticed, you seem to know Italian, and I know that she doesn't. I'm also pretty sure the Viscomte does not know how to speak it either. So It should be safe.

Cara Christine,  
non teme, io li otterrà assenti dal viscount. Verrò stasera ottenerlo. Lasci un di rosa fuori della vostra finestra non appena il viscount cade addormentato. Attenderò sotto con Ceasar per portarlo via. Dica a nessuno, non un'anima di questo programma. Jaclyn li leggerà questa nota e due la manterrete segreto fino a stasera, Si? Li vedrò stasera, La mia angela.  
Amore,   
Erik

In my head, I translated the note in my head

Dear Christine,  
Do not fear, I will get you away from the vicomte. I will come tonight to get you. Leave a rose outside your window as soon as the vicomte falls asleep. I will be waiting below with Ceasar to bring you away. Tell no one, Not a soul of this plan. Jaclyn will read you this note, and you two will keep it secret until tonight, Yes? I will see you tonight, My angel.  
Love,  
Erik

I nodded to Erik and he told Madame Giry,  
"Take this girl back to the Vicomte's house, with a few of Christine's posessions from her dressing room, so not to look suspisious," and with that he turned back to his music, and we rowed back across the lake. 

Christine's POV

Jaclyn arrived back with my "Think of Me" dress from my first gala. When raoul asked why I wanted that, I told him, "Memories," and Jaclyn went with me up to my room and read me the note that Erik had so cleverly written in a language that I did not even know that Jaclyn knew. I understood completely.  
Around 10:30, Raoul was finally softly snoring in his room, and I placed a red rose outside my window. Minutes later, there was a knock on my door. I knew that knock. It was Naiomi, bringing someone with her. I opened the door and saw that Naiomi had Erik in tow. Jaclyn had obvously told her that this man was to take me away, for she hugged me and told me,  
"Good luck," So I let Erik enclose my hand in his, and lead me away. He lead me through the front door, and I saw the large ebony form of Ceasar. Erik helped me up onto Ceasar's back, and then mounted behind me, encircling my waist with one hand, and grabbing the reins with the other. Ceasar was off immediately. We, Ceasar, Erik and I, looked like a black blur flowing through the night sky. Erik held me tightly yet gentle, afraid that I would fall off, unlike Raoul, who just held me tight. But to my surprise, Erik headed into the countryside instead of to the opera. When I asked him where we were going, he answered,  
"I own some property in the country. Raoul will never find you there. I don't want to see you hurt, mia angela," We rode up a dirt path and Through a gate. He rode past a large 3-story house and to a stable, where he obviously intended to put Ceasar. He stopped just outside the stable and he helped me down off of the horses back. He led him into the stable and then came back out, and put his arm around my waist, and led me back to the house that we had passed just minutes ago. He led me inside into a grand entrance foyer. The lavish designs on the wall showed people singing, in many different costumes. The largest portrait of all was of a girl with chocolate brown curly hair in a dress with a black bodice with white sleeves and a bloodred skirt. It was handdrawn beautifully. I knew that it must be me, and that Erik still loved me. Now I knew that the right choice was this. The right choice was Erik.


	5. Chapter 5

Over the next few weeks, Erik hardly talked to me unless we were doing a singing lesson. It was decided for me that I would take up singing lessons with him again. Even during those times, he only barely talked, telling me the peice we were to be working on and correcting me when I made any mistake. I knew I would have to work to stablize our relationship. I often tried to strike up a conversation, but he only said a few words and then would walk off, usually to the second floor, where all the artistic rooms were (Art meaning Music, drawing/painting, Theatre, dance, etc.) then into his art room, where he would carve wood, draw, or paint, usually pictures or carvings of plays that I was in. I would often stand in the doorframe and watch him create. It was often a beautiful site to watch, a block of wood become a sculpture, or a blank peice of paper become a masterpeice. Now I had a plan, little increments to heal our relationship. That night, after I had changed into my nightdress, a beautiful lavender plain dress which fell to my heels, I walked silently across the hall to his room, which was right across from mine. I opened the door quietly to see him sitting up in bed reading a book. He looked at me questioningly, but then just went back to his book. I floated across the room and sat down on the edge of the bed and caressed the left side of his face. He closed his eyes and put down the book. I leaned closer and put my other arm around his neck, still caressing his face. I leaned forward slowly and kissed him on the lips. He kissed back, and afer a few seconds, he pulled back for air. Then he closed his eyes again and kissed me again. It was so amazing that I did not notice that I had somehow gotten onto his bed and as he pulled away, My head laid down on one of the black pillows. I happily fell asleep in his arms, not noticing the whole time that he did not have his mask on.


	6. Chapter 6

I awoke to a cool wind passing over my face from the window over my head. I was alone, and for a while I couldn't remember where I was. Then I remembered. I was in Erik's room. But where was he? Then I heard from downstairs the sound of his angelic tenor voice singing a song that I so often heard in my dreams.

Night-time sharpens  
Heightens each sensation  
Darkness stirs  
And wakes imagination  
Silently the senses  
Abandon their defenses  
Slowly, gently  
Night unfurls its splendor  
Grasp it, sense it  
Tremulous and tender,  
Turn your face away  
From the garish light of day  
Turn your thoughts away  
from cold unfeeling light  
and listen to the music of the night.  
Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!  
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!  
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar!  
And you'll live as you never live before….  
Softly, deftly,  
Music shall caress you  
Hear it, feel it,  
Secretly possess you  
Open up your mind,  
Let your fantasies unwind,  
In this darkness that you know you cannot fight  
The darkness of the music of the night….  
Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world  
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!  
Let your soul take you where you long to be!  
Only then, can you belong to me….  
Floating falling,   
Sweet intoxication  
Touch me, trust me,  
Savor each sensation  
Let the dream begin,  
Let your darker side give in  
To the power of the music that I write…  
The power of the music of the night!  
You alone can make my song take flight….  
Help me make the music of the…night…..

I stood, thinking of the first time I had heard that melody. The voice was so beautiful, giving flavor to the words that it sang. The first time I heard that, I had been so enraptured in his voice; it compelled me to trust him, just as it did now. I went downstairs and saw him sitting in front of his piano, playing the melody line to the intoxicating tune. I sat beside him on the bench and laid my head on his shoulder. He went on playing, as if I was not there. Then he suddenly stopped and looked at me.


	7. Chapter 7

Erik sat there, his golden eyes staring into mine, showing a passage into his thoughts. His eyes were so soft and sweet. He suddenly looked away then and said,  
"I never stopped loving you,"  
I was surprised. I did not know what to say. Say that is was the same for me, that I was a young naïve girl that did not deserve him? I opened my mouth to tell him what I felt, when there was a knock on the door downstairs. Erik looked so surprised, I guess that no one had ever knocked on his door here before. He took me by the hand and led me downstairs. He opened the door.  
Standing there on the porch was Raoul.  
And He had Jaclyn with him.

Chapter 6

Jaclyn's POV  
My wrists bound tight by a length of rope, he dragged me along like a slave. He had gone mad. He had forced out of me the secret that Erik had trusted me with, by threatening to kill my best friend. I was so scared that he would actually slit Naiomi's throat if I did not tell him where Christine had gone. He actually would have, no doubt, slit her throat if I had not. Timidly, I told him the location of Erik's estate. He then bound my wrists and dragged me with him to go and get his wife.

Christine's POV

I saw the tears in Jaclyn's eyes and knew that she was forced to tell him something. Before I knew what was happening, Raoul once again made my face sting with the lash of his palm, but that was not all. No. He knocked me down and beat me. He hit, punched and kicked every part of my body that he could get at. Then everything went dark. Really dark.

Jaclyn's POV

I watched the Vicomte beat his wife unconsious. After she was out, he still kept hitting her, no matter how hard Erik beat him. I must do something for her. She will die if he goes on like that. I saw a metal dustpan in the corner, and yelled,  
"Erik, get out of the way!"  
he did not need telling twice. I charged and struck the Viscomte hard on the head, and he fell, unconsious. I knew my blow could not have killed him, but it probibly leave him unconsious for a few hours, maybe he might even loose a little memory. Erik dragged him outside and made sure that he was far enough away that if he decided to come back, he would have to walk a little.  
When he came back, he esily slid Christine into his arms, and carried her up the steps of the house, and I followed. He brought her to a magnifecent bed and laid her down as gently as a young girl tending to her baby doll. I looked at her and Erik said,  
"She looks so bad. Stupid fop. If he ever comes near here again, he will be SO sorry. Jaclyn, can you stay here to help her along? She might find it conforting to have another female around the house," I sighed but shook my head.  
"The only reason I am here is because he threatened to slit my best friend's throat if I did not tell him where she was. I need to go back to Naiomi,"  
"That is not a problem. I can have Naiomi come here and live with Christine and you. As long as Raoul stays away, you will all be safe,"  
I nodded and said,  
"That would be great. What work am I to do?"  
"Work? I don't want you as servants, dear god no! I want you two to come and live with me, kind of like Christine's sisters, best friends, whatever you want to call it, I have a fairly large salary from the fools who run the theatre and I think I can support three women," he told me. I knew that this would be a great place to live. My two best friends, Naiomi and Christine, and me, would be living together as equals...It was too good to be true.


	8. Chapter 8

one week later

I looked at Christine, who still had not woken up. Her breathing was heavy and she was badly injured, 3 broken ribs, and a dislocated shoulder. The doctor had come and checked her over, then fixed her up in a few casts and gave her something that would make her sleep. She often tossed and turned in her sleep, as if she was dreaming something terrible.

Christine's POV-In her nightmares  
I was lying on the dark ground, weak and beaten. no matter how hard Erik tried to rescue me, Raoul just kept me. I was beaten so badly that I was unconsious most of the time, but when I was consious, he would rape me. No matter how hard I tried to get away, he would alway get what he wanted out of me. This had been going on for so long, that when he raped me for the god knows what time, I screamed. Then my eyes opened to a whole new scene. Jaclyn and Naiomi were standing over me, and Naiomi was stroking Jaclyn's hair, becuse she was weeping. I tried to say, "Jaclyn, what is wrong?" but all I could muster was a groan filled with agony. Naiomi looked at me and turned Jaclyn around. Her face broke into a smile and she said,  
"Christine! I thought you would never wake up! Erik! she is awake! She's alive!"  
Erik rushed in and looked into my eyes and wept. His tears were of joy. I wondered how long I had been asleep. Naiomi tearfully told me that I had slept for a week, after the viscomte had beaten the shit out of me. They were afraid that I might had died. I was crying, and Erik stroked my hair in such a soothing manner that the tears stopped flowing. I was so happy that the man I loved and two of my best friends were surrounding me. But there was someone missing.

Jaclyn's POV  
There was a knock on the door. I knew that it might have been dangerous, so I took the dustpan and Erik and I walked downstairs after locking Naiomi in with Christine so no matter who was at the door, they could not get to Christine. Erik opened the door and there stood the ballet dancer that Madame Giry had take over the class and Madame Giry herself. They stood on the porch and stared at Erik as he quickly let them in. The girl looked at me, holding the dustpain frightend, but I lowered it and smiled. Erik led them upstairs and I followed, knowing that he knew Madame Giry and trusted her. I guessed the girl was her daughter. They walked into Christine's room and the girl gave a cry and ran to Christine. Christine groaned one word.  
"Meg..."   
I knew that Christine must know her. The blonde gave her a hug and held her. Madame Giry conversed with Erik about the injuries, and I went over to the pair and joined the hug, putting one arm around Christine and the other around Meg. Then Naiomi joined in too, and all four of us girls showed the affection for one another that was usually shown in sisters. But we were not sisters. Just the best of friends.


	9. Chapter 9

Christine's POV

Even though I had gotten much better over the last few days, Erik was with me unless he went out shopping, which he insisted upon doing himself. He always carried a punjab, just incase. It was one such instance that he went out that it happened. He came back. Climbing through my window, leaves in his tangled and matted hair. He said in a phycotic voice as he locked all the doors and windows in the room,  
"Oh, you thought I wouldn't come back? Well you were wrong, Little Lotte," and after those two words, he pounced and ripped at my nightdress. He tore at my clothing until he had exposed every inch of my flesh. Then he took off his clothes and mounted me, thrusting in violently. It took me a few minutes to think, for this all happened so fast. I knew I was getting raped by the one I used to love. It was also my first time. I screamed and shouted in agony as he thrusted even more vioently while squeezing my bare breasts so hard that they felt numb. He kept this up while I continually screamed, begging for mercy. But he just laughed and said as he thrust even more violently,  
"Little Lotte, you ran away and disobeyed me. I am guessing that you have been singing too? You must be punished for your deeds," I did not know how much longer I could take it. He suddenly stopped. He told me,  
"Your reason for punishment is back. Do not think this will be the last time. I will be back, and you will pay. You are not even an eighth done with your punishments. I will be back, Little Lotte,"and with that, he climbed out of the window. All I could do is weep. I wept because I had my verginity stolen, and because it was stolen by a bastard who has gone phycotic who I once loved. Erik opened the door and saw me crying, naked, on the bed. He called for Jaclyn and Naiomi and said to me softly, consolingly, and somewhat urgently,  
"Christine, what happened? Are you alright?"  
I shook my head and said,  
"It was him,"  
Erik immediatly knew what I meant for he heald me in his arms. As soon as Jaclyn and Naiomi arrived, they saw the strange sight of Erik cradling my shaking body in his arms. He asked them to fetch me another nightdress and they slipped it over my head. The venitian silk felt good to my skin, and I felt safe after once again Erik took me into his muscular arms. He pulled me close to his chest and I felt his hard muscles. Jaclyn and Naiomi sat next to me and Erik, me crying and him holding me, Naiomi stroking my hair and Jaclyn holding my hand. I then gathered up the courage to tell my best friends what had happened, and Erik left us alone, for Jaclyn told him that we needed to have a "Girl talk" then I said to them,  
"It was him. He snuck in the window and raped me. He hurt me so badly. He took away what I wanted to be for someone else. He is not the nice, gentle boy who saved my scarf from the sea, he has turned into a monster,"  
Naiomi and Jaclyn were both full of tears of sadness as I told them this. Then Jaclyn spoke up.  
"If it doesn't bother you, would you mind telling us who you were saving that for? I nodded and tearfully said,  
"Erik."


	10. Chapter 10

Erik was now with me most of the time. He and I would take long walks through the wood or to the creek on his property. We would usually just talk, him holding me protectively in his arms, caressing my cheeks, stroking my hair, or just holding me, gently yet protectively in his arms. Sometimes I would fall asleep, my head in his lap while he caressed my cheeks lovingly. His expression was always one of love, and of happiness. I knew that I wanted him. He was the one.  
One month later  
It was a day that I would never forget. We went on our daily walk and he was hiding something. I knew. He held me even more protectively than before, and he led me to my favorite spot, an emerald colored clearing in the middle of the forest. I felt his arms unwind from my waist and saw him standing before me. He said to me,  
"I love you Christine. I never want to see you hurt, and I want you to be happy. My plea is this,"  
he paused, took out a small box and got down in the emerald colored dewy grass. He then sang in his angelic tenor,  
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime,  
Lead me, save me from my solitude,  
Say you need me with you here, beside you,  
Anywhere you go, let me go too,  
Christine, that's all I ask of…" he opened the box and revealed a breathtaking ring.  
"You," and he looked at me. I smiled and sang,  
"Angel of music, guide and guardian,  
Grant to me your glory.  
Angel of music, hide no longer,  
Secret and strange angel," I took a deep breath and spoke the one word that would decide my fate. "Yes,"  
Erik slipped the beautiful ring upon my finger and I looked at it. It had a large diamond in the middle, surrounded by two rubies, one on each side, and two onyx, on each side of the rubies. The stones were on a silver band with roses carved into it, filled in by tiny rubies and emeralds. The ring obviously had costed a fortune, and I was glad. I was so happy that Erik had proposed. I had now what I wanted for 3 long years since he started teaching me. He stood and gave me a passionate kiss, his tongue plunging into the warm soft depths of my mouth. I loved that moment, and I felt his lips curl up inside the kiss. I knew that noting could ruin this moment. Or so I thought.


	11. Chapter 11

I felt another pair of arms encircle my waist from the oppisite direction. I did not know who the second person was until the arms pulled me violently back and I hit a body. It was Raoul. He threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and ran off with me bouncing on his shoulders. He outran Erik, and no punjab went flying, probibly of fear of looping me. My last sight before seeing only trees was Erik, saddness in his eyes, as he stopped running because of fatigue. Raoul ran for what felt like a half an hour and then laid me down on the forest floor, my body crinkling the dead, brown leaves scattered all about the floor of the woods. I felt again the feeling of him ripping at my dress, a very nice dark green and brown silk dress, and beating my bare flesh, paddling my body with his hands, sticks and other things on the forest floor. He stopped and laughed at me. He was laughing at my defenselessness, and my wounds, bruses from where he had hit me. Then he slowly bared his own flesh and raped me once again. I knew that this was very pleasureable for him, always being able to take advantage of me however he wanted. He once again stopped suddenly, but this time picking up scraps of my dress and covering me to camoflage me among the leaves. Then he ran off. If I could have loathed him any more, It would be now, because of what had happend to me.  
It took at least till nightfall untill Erik found me. He picked me up gently and walked with me, cradled in his arms against his chest. I felt so safe in his arms. He walked into the house and I heard Jaclyn's footsteps next to Erik talking in a barely autible wisper.  
"What happened Erik? Is she okay?  
"It was him again. That bastard,"  
I felt a soft cotton nightgown being slipped over my shivering body. Erik carried me a short distance and placed me down in an ocean of silk bed linens. Then I felt a warm body next to meand holding me in a pair of strong arms. I knew I was in Erik's room. I fell asleep in his arms, just as the night that I tried my first step in redeeming our relationship. Exept this time, Erik was my fiance, and I had the beautiful ring on my finger to prove it.

Chapter 11  
I woke up with a pair of strong arms holding me close to a hard chest. I flipped around and was looking into Erik's golden eyes. He had tears in his eyes was looking at me so longingly and lovingly that I had to kiss the tears off his face. His face was so beautiful. He hugged me closer and kissed my neck and face. There was nothing but love in his eyes. I knew that he loved me. I loved him also. I examined the ring on my finger, which sparkled in the sunlight leaking through the window. I looked at Erik. He had on loose cotton black pants, and nothing on his toned chest. I looked down me and saw a loose fitting black dress traveling to my knees amd cutting off with an embroidered hem. I then wrapped my arms around Erik and let him kiss me. He caressed my face after the long, passionate kiss. He stopped and hesitantly reached out and touched my neckline. I nodded and his warm fingers traced the neckline of the nightdress, which went down low, showing off some cleavage. He then held me close and buried his face in my hair. I fell asleep again in his arms, his warm face on my neck. I knew I loved him.

I woke up suddenly and ran into the bathroom. I threw up and Erik came in minutes later. He held my hair back as I vomited, and, as fast as it began, it ended. I was comfused. So as Naiomi was getting ready to go do the shopping, I asked her about it. She told me that she would bring me something back and was off. I hoped that I would be okay. I did not know what was happening to me.

Naiomi came home and handed me a small brown box and told me what it was and what to do with it. It was a pregnacy test. It was positive. I was so scared, so I rushed down the hall to the room that Jaclyn and Naiomi shared (Erik had offered them their own rooms, but the pair insisted upon sharing one) and told them. Jaclyn gasped and Naiomi nodded and said that was what she expected. I calmed down and asked,  
"What am I going to do?"  
"Well, here are your options: 1. give it up. 2. tell Erik," Jaclyn said.  
"I will not kill the child!" I told them, "But how can I tell him? are you sure he will understand?" They both nodded and Jaclyn said,  
"Erik is a nice man. He will understand. He knows that you got raped and you can't help it. Just tell him," so I decided that I would.


	12. Chapter 12

I walked downstairs to Erik's favorite room, his drawing room. He was painting a picture of the clearing in the wood. I walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me and I told him, choking on my words,  
"I have to talk to you," he breathed deeply and said,  
"Christine...why dont you change your clothes and meet me in the lounge in 10 minutes? I bet you would like to change out of that nightgown,"  
I nodded and walked up to my room and into my walk in closet. I chose a lavender satin dress that fell to my ankles with a low neckline and sleeves that went tight just down below my elbows. I placed the gold cross left to me by my grandma around my neck and examined my reflection. I looked good to break this news. I walked downstairs and saw Erik in black lounge pants and a white shirt that was open down the front. I sat next to him and he caressed my face and held me in his arms. I felt so safe, yet like I was lying. It took him a while to start talking. He said in a soft, airy voice,  
"Did you want to talk to me about something? Do you need anything?" I told him,  
"No, I need nothing but your conforting arms around me while I go through this crisis,"  
"What crisis? Are you okay?" I shook my head and he hugged me tighter.  
"I-I Erik, you wouldn't understand," He turned my head up to face him and he told me,  
"You can tell me anything. I will always understand, Mia Angela,"  
"I-I...Erik, I'm one month pregnant. I know it must be his, because he was the only one who ever...you know..." my voice died off and he said,  
"What do you want to do?"  
"I will not kill the child,"  
"Then we will keep the child,"  
"You will help me raise a child even though it does not share your genes?"  
"It is a part of you, and therefore something I love. It may share his genes, but I can still be a father,"  
I smiled and buried my face in his chest. I was so happy.  
"I want you to be the father, Erik,"  
he stroked my hair and said nothing. He was the father. I don't care what genes the baby has, Erik was the father.  
Chapter 12  
5 months later  
My stomach was showing and Erik acted as if he really was the child's father. Sometimes I even forgot that he really wasn't. He would always rush out to get something that I was strangely craving (balogna, pepperoni, parmasean cheese, etc.) but not before making sure either Jaclyn or Naiomi was watching over me carefully. Naiomi told me that she had once delivered the Countess's baby so she was ready and would be able to deliver mine. I was happy that she could do that. Jaclyn helped me with everything. Erik insisted that I would sleep in his room from now on for he was afraid that "he" would come back for me. I slept every night safe in his arms. Erik still recived a large salary and paid a doctor to make a house-call once a week to check on the baby. Even though the doctor insisted that I did not need him once a week, Erik insisted and said that I should always be in tip-top shape. He would now more often paint or draw a woman with a baby in her arms, sometimes a girl, sometimes a boy, depending on his mood. The paintings were so beautiful. I always loved his art, but these had to be his most beautiful paintings yet. 

2 months later  
The doctor came around 3:00 with a sonar machine (A/N: I really don't know if they had sonar machines then, but even if they did not, they did in my phic) and told me that he was going to take pictures of the baby. He asked me if I wanted to know the gender of the baby and I said no. I wanted to have a surprise. He placed the camera on my potruding belly. He moved it around and he said,  
"Yes...the baby is in position to be birthed. I am sure that it will be born within a week. Be ready, Miss,"  
I nodded and looked at Erik who had popped his head into the door and looked quite scared  
"A- week?"  
"Yes, haven't you noticed it, your fiancee has been pregnant for eight months, Monsieur," the doctor said in a brisque voice. Erik stared. I just smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

Later that day  
I was discussing names with Jaclyn, Naiomi, and Erik since the baby was less than a week away. We all settled down and took a pad and pencil and wrote down a list of names. One column for boys, one column for girls, since we did not know the gender of the baby. My list read this:  
GIRLS BOYS  
Donata Donato  
Ebony Santo  
Anika Joseph   
Adrianna Philippe  
Natharia  
Lilli

We put our lists on the floor and examined eachothers. Eriks read:  
GIRLS BOYS  
Delanna Dylan  
Donnatella Nicholas  
Julia Mario  
Juliette

Jaclyn's Read:  
GIRLS BOYS  
Danika Jean  
Delanie Leo  
Ellie Carmelo  
Meghan

And Naiomi's read:  
GIRLS BOYS  
Nellie Brian  
Leanna Bradley  
Laliya Brandon

Erik spoke up,  
"I really like the names Delanie and Donata for a girl, and Santo sounds nice for a boy,"  
Naiomi and Jaclyn spoke and said,  
"We second Donata and Santo,"  
"So Donata and Santo are the names we choose. If it is a girl, Donata, and a boy, Santo," I said, and I felt a trickle of water fall into my underwear, and I made an unconfortable face.  
"Christine, what is wrong?" Erik asked concernedly, putting his hand on my stomach.  
"I think I just wet myself,"  
Naiomi flew her hands up to her mouth.  
"You did not wet yourself, Christine, your water broke! You are going into labour!"  
Jaclyn and Naiomi rushed me upstairs and into the room we had sanitized for the birthing of the child. They made me lay down on the bed and Erik ran in and ran to my side just as a contraction ran through my body and I cringed in pain. He heald my hand as another contraction sent me screaming. Naiomi pulled on gloves and helped me into a hospital gown. Contractions kept sweeping through my body, waves of pain as I had never felt before. After what seemed like an hour of contractions, Naiomi told me,  
"Push on this one, Christine!"  
The contraction came and I pushed. I screamed in agony as I did.  
"Good Christine! I see the head! Push again!"  
The contraction ran again and I wailed as I pushed. Then it all stopped. There was not a sound exept for the high pitched screams of a newborn baby.

Chapter 13  
I heald the small brown-haired baby girl in my arms. She was so beautiful. Wrapped in a pink blanket that was sitting waiting for her, Donata stared up at me with enormous chocolate brown eyes. After staring at her, I said,  
"Hello, Donata, I am your mommy. I love you very much and will always love you," then I passed the baby to Erik, who cradled her in his arms as he had so often held me.  
"Hello, baby girl. I am your daddy. I may not really be your father, but I love you just as if you were my own daughter," The baby reached up and touched Erik's chin. He smiled and passed her to Naiomi.  
"Hello, Donata. Im Aunt Naiomi, and I am one of mommy's friends. I love your mommy and your daddy very much and I now have another person in my life to love," and she passed the baby to Jaclyn.  
"Hi little girl. Im Jaclyn. You are such a lucky baby, you already have 4 people in this room who love you very much. The only thing I can say is Ti voglio bene, Donata, I love you," and she passed Donata back to me and I cradled her just as I had cradled my baby doll so many years ago. Nothing and no one could ruin this moment. Not even Raoul.


	14. Chapter 14

9 months later  
I stood in front of the mirrors, examining my reflection. I was dressed in a floor length white dress with the sleeves on the side and the whole dress was embroidered with pearls and opals. Donata wobbled around in her little pink dress which matched the flower petals in the basket she held. Meg, Naiomi, and Jaclyn were all standing around me, helping me with my veil, which fell to the floor. Meg was my maid of honour and Naiomi and Jaclyn were my bridesmaids. I was exited yet nervous. This was the day that I was to be bound in holy matrimony to Erik. Jaclyn was talking to Donata who did speak a few words (Here vocabulary consisted of the words piano, opera, yes, no, okay, sing, food, Mommy, Daddy, Auntie, Jaclyn, and Naiomi (which she pronounced Niemi)) Jaclyn said to the girl,  
"The singing is going to start and then you walk down throwing the petals like we showed you, and I will be right behind you, okay, Donata?"  
"Yes. Okay Auntie Jaclyn," said Donata, a smile on the tiny girl's face. Then the Music started and she marched out of the room and walked throwing the petals as far as her chubby little fingers could throw them. Jaclyn followed her, then Naiomi, then Meg, and finally, myself. I saw Erik smiling at his daughter throwing the soft pink petals and chuckling lightly. Then his eyes fell on me and there was a whole new expression. Love. Nothing but love. I saw Donata reach the altar and run up to her daddy and hug him around his left leg, her head hardly coming up to his knees. He stroked the 9-month old's hair and stared at me. I reached the altar and took his hand, and he whispered to Donata to get off and hold his hand and walk up, which she did, and he walked me up before the priest and he nodded, and we parted, Donata following Erik to one side of the altar as my bridesmaids and I went to the other side. The ceramony went on, and we were asked to stand and join hands. The preist said to the croud,  
"If anyone has a reason that these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace,"  
Someone stood up. I recognized that face from so long ago. It was Raoul. I was scared. He took a deep breath and said,  
"These two should not be wed because...That is not his daughter!" Everyone gasped. "Thats right! It's mine!" and with that Donata yelled pointing to Erik,  
"YOU NOT MY DADDY! THAT MY DADDY!"  
and the croud fell silent. Not a person moved. Not a sound was heard.   
"Raoul, you were not invited to this wedding. Don't you dare think that mine and Erik's daughter has anything to do with you. If you get near her as you did me, I shall harm you in ways you could not me," I told him with all the courage that I could muster. Raoul looked at the little girl, then to me, and then to Erik, and walked out of the church. He said as he went,  
"I will be back for my daughter, Little Lotte," And he was gone. The ceramony was completed and we went out of the church with Donata running alongside Erik, and he held her hand, afraid. We sat in the carrage and rode back to the manor, where we would drop off Donata and gather our things to go on our honeymoon. I was afraid after Raoul's sudden appearance, so I told Erik and we stopped before we got to the mansion and hired a bodygaurd for the girls while Erik and I were gone. We hoped Donata would be safe. I really hoped so.


	15. Chapter 15

The carriage started driving away from the house. We saw Donata waving to us as we drove away, a smile on her tiny face.  
The ride was long. It took a whole day to get to where we had planned to spend our honeymoon. We arrived after I slept in Erik's warm, strong arms. I looked out and saw the Canal Grande, or the Grand Canal. We had arrived in Venezia, Italia (Venice, Italy) and checked into the hotel. We went up to the honeymoon suite and Erik effortlessly carried me through the door. He put me down and we shared a long, passionate kiss. He then asked me,  
"Do you want to?" I nodded and he preceded kissing me. He fumbled with the zipper to my dress and it fell in a heap behind me. I took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, which he shrugged off. His chest was as beautiful as ever. He unlaced my corset and it fell to the floor, and he stared, breathtaken, at my chest. Then he pulled me close and guided my hands as I took off his pants. He led me to the bed and with one fluid movement, removed my underwear and his own. He laid next to me, exploring. He kissed my face, neck, and breasts. He slowly touched my breast and then cupped the warm flesh in his hands. My aching for him was unbearable. He finally mounted me and slowly, gently entered me, kissing me passionately. His pace was slow and loving, not furious and agonizing like Raoul. It was so pleasurable to be having sex as a choice, not being raped as I had those so many months ago. He softly kneaded my breasts and kissed my neck and face. He was so gentle, probably afraid of hurting me. Our fluids mingled as he thrusted, and he stroked my hair. He finally stopped thrusting. He withdrew and laid next to me. He caressed my neck and started singing in the angelic tenor that filled my dreams.  
"I gave you my music  
Made your song take wing,  
Before, you had betrayed me,  
But now you are back with me,  
I was bound to love you,  
When I heard you sing,  
Christine, Christine…"  
I replied, my eyelids drooping,  
"You alone have made my song take flight,  
Now it's here, the Music of the Night…"  
I fell asleep in his fond, warm embrace. I happily dreamed of my life that would be spent the rest of with my love, Erik.

Chapter 16  
two weeks later  
The carriage pulled up to the house and we saw Donata's smiling face peeking through the boards in the fence. I smiled as Erik undid the latch and let us in to the yard. Donata ran to us, yelling,  
"Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" I scooped the child into my arms and held her close, and felt her heart beating against me. Then I handed her to Erik and he lifted her to the sky while she laughed out loud. Naiomi and Jaclyn hurried out of the house and almost knocked me down with a back-breaking hug. Erik then said,  
"How are you girls?"  
"Your bodygaurd was a great help in gaurding Donata, thank you for hiring him," Jaclyn said, and nodded to Naiomi. I saw in her eyes that she was going to be the breaker of bad news. But Donata got there first.  
"Bad man camed to our house, daddy. he hitted Auntie Jacwin and Auntie Neimi and he hitted me. Bad man camed Bad man!"  
Erik looked at our daughter with a vague expression. Then he slowly put the child down on the emerald green lawn. He then kneeled down and hugged her close.  
"Did the bad man have a name, Donata?"  
"Bad man name is Roool, daddy,"  
Erik looked at her, and said,  
"He beat my wife, my wife's friends, and my daughter. He will PAY! I hate him!"  
"Erik, calm down. What is in the past is in the past. You can't change it!" I told him. I took one of his hands and placed Donata's in it. I took up Donata's other hand and I led them both to the house.

Chapter 17  
There were bruises on Donata's back. Big purple-blue patches that I cried over. We were in Donata's room, a large room decorated in yellow, lime green, and orange. I helped the tiny child into her nightgown, and placed her in her crib. She fell asleep instantly, and I looked at her. She was okay besides her back, and I felt guilty that she had been hurt at all. It was my fault for leaving her just with a stupid bodygaurd, Naiomi, and Jaclyn. I knew that Jaclyn and Naiomi could care for her fine for short amounts of time, but 2 weeks? I should have thought before I left them alone. But there was nothing I could do about the past, just as I told Erik. I walked into our bedroom and laid down next to Erik who pulled me close and held me. I fell asleep and had nightmares about Raoul beating our daughter. It was the most uneasy sleep I had since Erik proposed.


	16. Chapter 16

Donata's POV, 2 years later

I awoke and looked about my room. I saw the bright yellows, oranges, and greens that decorated the bright, vibrant room. I stepped out of bed and walked down the hall to mommy and daddy's room. It was a big room. Everything was big. The bed, the dressers, even the door was big. There in the bed was mommy and daddy, both asleep not stirring even though Daddy's music box was playing a soft tune that had so many times been sung to me by mommy.  
Masquerade...  
Paper faces on parade...  
Masquerade...  
Hide your face so the world will never find you...

I had noticed that daddy always hid his face. He wore a mask. Just like the people in mommy's song. I wanted to know who Daddy was. I slowly walked up to the bed. I put my small hands on the mask that daddy was wearing, and slowly lifted it off his face. I did not have even a second to look at it, for daddy pushed me away and I tumbled to the ground. He covered his face. He said words, and I had never heard such language. Mommy woke up and looked from Daddy, to me on the floor, and back to Daddy again. Being like this on the floor brought back terrible memories.

Flashback  
He burst through the doors and pushed Aunt Jaclyn and Aunt Naiomi aside, then advanced on me. His long hair was behind him, matted. He pushed me to the ground and spoke to me, laughing at my weakness. He told me in a stern voice,  
"You belong to me. That thing is not your father. He is a corpse. He cannot love. He is a monster. You will come with me eventually. You spoke back to me at the wedding. You shall pay," With that, he beat me. He slapped and hit by back, and I could not take much more when he suddenly stopped. I was very weak, but I managed to turn over and see Aunt Jaclyn standing above me, and the man lying on the floor, not moving.  
"Are you alright, Donata?"  
"Ouchie,"  
"I'll bring you up to your room,"  
and with that, whe picked me up gently and carried me up. It was nice to be back in my room, and she wrapped cuts, and put a new nightgown on me. I slept. I felt secure, still hoping that that would never happen again.

End flashback

I started sobbing as I sat there on the floor. Daddy peeked at me through his fingers and sighed. He picked up his mask and placed it on his face. He then sat next to me and held me in his arms. Those big, strong arms always made me feel safe. He said softly,  
"I am sorry, Donata. I just...don't like when people see my face. You see, my face is deformed. I wear a mask to cover it up. I don't want to scare you. There is no need for you to fear me, and I do not want to give you a reason,"  
I nodded at him and continued crying. I spoke between my sobs,  
"You reminded me of the bad man, daddy. When he came while you were away, he pushed me down just like that. I felt like he was back again,"  
Daddy picked me up and put me on his bed. He then said,  
"I am truly sorry, Donata. I did not know that would remind you of him," and he handed me to mommy who hugged me close while daddy slid under the covers once again.  
"Go back to sleep, Donata," Said mommy. "You need rest,"


	17. Chapter 17

I looked out the window of the schoolhouse and sighed. Almost every other child was outside playing in the December snows, while I was stuck inside during recess everyday. My parents were so overprotective! I could not go outside without one of them, so I could not go out during recess and have fun with my best friends, Lilly, Amanda, and Dylan. I saw them building a snowman together and laughing at Lilly because she could not get the last snowball on top. I wished, prayed that I could be out there too, instead of inside with the stuck up aristocratic children who decided that they were too good to go outside with the rest of them. I heaved forward another sigh and spilled my bag lunch onto my desk. An apple, peanuts, a small sandwitch, and a cookie fell from the bag along with a note. It read,

Donata-  
I hope you enjoy your lunch today!  
I am sorry that you can't go out with the others but it is for your own good.  
Lots of Love,  
Mommy

I read the second sentance many times and could not help thinking,  
"Yeah. RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTT..."  
And I made my decision. I stuffed my lunch back into it's bag and gathered my things. I put on my coat, gloves and hat then headed outside, greeted by the rush of the cold wind. Lilly, Amanda and Dylan rushed to me and Dylan asked,  
"Donata, why are you outside? You know that your parents don't want you out here-"  
but I cut him off.  
"I'm here because I want to be, Dylan. what could happen? Im not going to get kidnapped or something!"  
"Oh really?" said a voice from behind. I turned to see who it was, though I did not need to know. I knew. It was Raoul. I did the one thing I could do. I ran.

Chapter 17...  
Dylan threw a snowball at Raoul's face but there was nothing to stop him. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me through the snow, but his legs were longer and stronger. He reached me in no time. He picked me up and carried me off. The last thing I saw was Lilly running after him trying to stop him. But I knew that it was no use. Her tiny 5 year old legs had no match against his adult legs. He ran and ran until we reached his house. He pushed me inside and he slid in after me. I trembled in fear. I was afraid of what he would do.  
"Do you not rembember me, my dear daughter?" he asked, sneering at my face.  
"No. I could never forget such a wicked man, no matter how old I was when I last saw you," and with that I folded my arms. I got a responce to this with a stinging slap across my face.   
"Let me explain why you are here. I am going to use you to lure your so called father here. Then I am going to kill him before your very eyes and demand custody of you. I can do that, because I am the Viscompte de Chagny. You dont even have a last name!"  
"Yes I do. My last name is Daae,"  
"That is your mother's maden name. What is your father's last name,"  
"He has neither name nor country, he took the name Erik by chance," I knew this because many times I had asked my daddy what his last name was. This was what he always told me. I was not sure what would happen after that, so I just stayed still and silent.


	18. Chapter 18

banged my fists against the mahogony door, wailing and screaming, when it opened. In walked a nice looking lady, with black hair down to her waist and blazing emerald eyes.  
"Ciao, Signorina," I said politely in Italian (A/N: I decided that Raoul was living in Italy Christine and Erik lived right on the border of Italy and France, and Donata's school was in Italy, so she knew Italian, and in school spoke it as her first language, as well as speaking French or English at home) (Text means: Hello, ma'am)  
"Ciao, Piccola Ragazza. Mi Ciamo Leanna, sono la domestica di casa," She said sweetly. I smiled. (Hello, little girl. My name is Leanna, I am the maid of the house)  
"Mi ciamo Donata, la figlia di Cristiana e Erik. Parlo Inglese?" I asked. (My name is Donata, and I am the daughter of Christine and Erik. Do you speak English?)  
"No," Leanna said "Perchè siete qui?" (No. Why are you here?)  
"Il padrone della casa rapintino io," (The master of the house kidnapped me)  
"Venuto!" came her sharp command, and I was obedient without question. (Come!)

Leanna led me through alleys and Shortcuts.  
"Dove stiamo andando?" I asked impatiently. (Where are we going?)  
"La Scuola elementare. Tu andate là, si?" (The Elementary School. You go there, right?)  
"No. Vado al scuola prelementare," (No, I go to the preschool)  
"Si. Supito!" (Ok. Quickly!)  
I heard the beating of hooves on the ground behind us. I turned and saw Raoul, riding his white stallion. Leanna pushed me into a space behind a dumpster, and hastily thumped a pattern of knocks on a wooden door just big enough for her to crawl into. It opened and she pushed me inside, and crawled in herself.

The room we stood in was large. Stone walls all around. And children. So many of them. Huddled together, under tattered blankets faces pale and ghostly. Leanna explained  
"Questi bambini sono tutto il Raoul. Ha molti e sempre sa quando il bambino è suo. Tutti mancano le loro famiglie e desiderano andare a casa, ma fino ad arrestare Raoul, avrà più e più bambini. Indovino che potete dire che queste sono i vostri fratelli e sorelle mezzi," She finished and tears welled up in my eyes. I had no idea that I had so many brothers and sisters. I was an only child at home. One boy walked up to me and said, "Mi Chiamo Solito. Tu e Donata, si?"  
"Si, Io sono Donata. Come conoscete la mia nome?"  
"Leanna ci ha detto che che Raoul stesse progettando sul rapinare un altro e detto il vostro nome era Donata," he said sadly "Alcuni di noi neppure non si ricordano dei nostri genitori, noi sono stati rapinati così lungamente fa. Il più difettoso, non possiamo andare qui perché siamo impauriti che Raoul ritornerà per ottenerlo," and he finished, "Sig.na Naiomi e Jaclyn. Hanno usato aiutarli anche, ma sono andato vivere in qualche luogo in Francia,"  
(A/N: The italian text means this:  
Leanna Explained  
"These are Raoul's Children. He has many and he always knows when a child is his. The all want to go home to their families and go to their houses, but until we find Raoul, there will be more and more children. These are your half brothers and sisters,"  
One boy walked up to me and said,  
"My name is Solito. You are Donata, right?"  
"Yes, I am Donata, how did you know my name?"  
"Leanna told us that Raoul was planning to kidnap another and that her name was Donata" he said sadly. "Some of us don't even remember our families we were kidnapped so long ago. We want to get out, but that is not possible because we are afraid Raoul will come back to get us" He finished, "We also miss Naiomi and Jaclyn. They used to help us also, but the went off to go live somewhere in France,")


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Im going to write the Italian in English exept in italics, ok? I don't want to have to re-write the whole section over just so everyone can understand. The only words that will be in italian are common words. Such as "Ciao" which, if no one knows, means "Hello"  
-----------------------------------------------------------

I sat shivering in the corner, away from the rest. I felt so alone. I wanted to go home to Mommy. I wanted to see Daddy's farmiliar half-mask. I wondered if they even wondered where I was. It had to be after school hours by now. I shivered again but felt a pair of arms around me. I looked up and saw Solito looking at my tearstained face.  
"_Donata, its alright. Leanna will find Naiomi and Jaclyn soon. Shhh. Don't cry. It won't be long,_" He did not seem to mind that my tears were soaking the shoulders of his shirt, which was probibly once white but ad become a shade of brown. He brought a patched blanket over my legs.  
"_It's not ok, Solito! I may never get to see my Mommy and my Daddy again! I miss them so much!_" I sobbed. He tightend his brotherly embrace. I felt safe. Safer than I had ever felt before.  
"_Donata, I cannot say that I miss my parents. Honestly, I don't even know them. I was kidnapped when I was a baby. I was rocked in that cradle, just like Kiera is now. Leanna taught me to speak, just as she is now teaching Michael and Jean,_" he said, "_But I do think that I know how you feel. You don't want to be here. You don't belong here. You belong in your home in France, with your Mama and your Papa. You belong having fun in the sun, careless and free. You don't belong wasting in a basement with the brothers and sisters that you didn't even know until a few hours ago,_"  
He did not need to say more. He had summed up all my feelings already. I just buried my face in his shirt, and he laid me down on the stone floor below us. He cradled me in a very brotherly way, and I fell into a peaceful sleep.  
Chapter  
Erik's POV  
The stagecoach glided over the smooth roads heading to Donata's school. I decided to surprise her by picking her up instead of Naiomi or Jaclyn. I smiled as I thought of the look of surprise that would overcome her when she saw it was me, and not them. I chuckled slightly as the carrage pulled up to the small schoolhouse. I paid the driver and asked him to wait for me. I then went to the door of the Schoolhouse to get Donata. I waded through snowmen and forts still equipped with snowballs what were not used during recess and smiled. When I finally reached the schoolhouse door, I knocked lightly. A kindly looking woman came to the door. She was Donata's teacher, Ms. Aleka. She looked at me suspisiously, and then asked,  
"_Who are you here to pick up and what is your relation to him or her?_"  
"_I am here to pick up my daughter, Donata,_" I said firmly. She looked at me again and then said,  
"Very well, stay here and I will go fetch her,"  
I waited in the small front room of the schoolhouse waiting for my tiny daughter. 10 minutes passed. I had watched multiple children leaving. Finally, Ms. Aleka came back, but Donata was nowhere in sight. She said  
"_I am sorry, Sir, but I cannot find your daughter,_"  
I stared at her dumbfoundedly.


	20. Chapter 20

_"Im sorry, Sir, but we cannot find your daughter,"_  
The farmiliar red haze fell over my eyes. I felt as though I was the murderous phantom again, though I had not been for almost 6 years.  
i"What do you mean,"/i I hissed. I could not see anything but I knew where I was going. I pushed the small woman aside with such force that she hit the wall and fell. I entered the room and though I could not see, I could feel the presance of her friends. I bent down and cought her friend, Dylan by his coat.  
_Where. Is. She?"_ I asked angrily.  
_"I...I Dont know! She c-came out-s-side and a man took her a-a-away!"_ he studdered, beginning to cry. His tears restored my sanity and the haze fell away. I saw what I was doing to the child, and I quickly let him go.  
_"I...Im sorry, Dylan. I don't know what got over me,"_ I said, mentally slapping myself for getting so angry at a 5 year old child. I walked away from him, and saw a sight that I was hoping not to see. Lilly, Donata's best friend whom had been to our home so many times, was sitting in the corner, crying.  
"What happened, Lilly?" I asked her, bending down to her level, still slapping myself mentally for what I had done.  
"Its the worst d-day of m-m-my life!" She cried, crying on my arm. I picked her up, and asked her,  
"Whats wrong?"  
"Do-na-t-ta is g-gone! And m-m-my mommy..." She cut off, with fresh tears. I then remembered that Lilly had no father, just her mother, and asked  
"What happened to your mother, Lilly?"  
"Sh-she wa-was in an accident" She choked out tearfully. "Sh-She isn't coming back."  
With that, I hugged my daughter's friend close, picking her up and leaving the schoolhouse. I got not a murmur of protest that She was not my daughter and that she could not come with me. I brought her out to my carrage and sat her down. I ordered the driver home, and we set off.

Donata's POV

I woke with a jolt. I heard crying, and looked over to see Solito was gone 'Where is he?' I thought, and looked around the room. It was unusually empty, but I felt a pair of hands close around my mouth.  
_"Quick! Shh, he might find us!"_ Said a familar voice. I turned my head slightly to see Adrianne. She helped me up and pulled me quickly to one wall. She opened the grate to the vent and shoved me in, just before following herself, closing the grate behind her.  
_"Adrianne, whats going-"_  
_"Shhh. We are hiding from him! He is closing in, Im afraid he might find us!"_ she said in a low wisper, and and she shoved me to the back of the vent, before following and pulling in close. She explained about the ventilation system and how they hid in the vents from Raoul when they heard his horse and that, he had been in this secret place before. I had been wondering why there were so many vents and nooks and crannys just big enough to hide one or two children in each. Now I knew. These were places to hide, when someone came close to descovering them, and now, me.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: The song that is in this chapter is mine. I wrote it.

Donata's POV

"Where are you? I know you're in here! Come out children, Daddy's here to bring you all home," Raoul said in a mocking voice, "You know I can give you a much better life than this, Come along, don't be afraid, after all, you are my babies, every one of you, and I care about each of you _dearly_," Adrianne let out a silent sob and buried her face in my shoulder. I tried to calm down the older girl, but she kept silently crying.

"Come, end this game. We can all work together. I haven't the patience to wait for you, but here is my deal. I will leave and come back later. Then you can all come out of hiding and come home!" With that, he left. We heard the horses galloping away, and slowly, we all came out of our hiding places. When we were fully out of the vent, Adrianne started sobbing loudly. I hugged her and did the only thing I could think of. I sang to her.

"_Silent Tears…_

_Flowing down my face…_

_Never stopping…_

_Leaving no trace…_

_No visible lines…_

_Leading to earth…_

_Leaving my fear hidden…_

_Silent Tears…_

_Always everlasting…_

_Always containing…_

_But silent tears are hidden…_

_They leave my fear hidden…_"

I finished my song to look up and see the other children smiling appreciatively at me. Solito came to me and said,

"You sing very well, Dona-"

But he was cut off by the sound of a horse galloping back over us. We all rushed to the vents and alcoves, and I scurried in quickly, and had just replaced the vent when I heard a gunshot.

And then hooves galloping off.

I ran out and saw the last thing I wanted to see.

Solito had been shot.


End file.
